Microsoft released the announced out of band security update MS08-067. Please read the bulletin carefully and then apply the update as soon as possible.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-067.mspx
In addition there is also an excellent post with a lot more details on the vulnerability Microsoft patched. You should definitely read it: http://blogs.technet.com/swi/archive/2008/10/23/More-detail-about-MS08-067.aspx
Urs
Blog Post by Jon Oltsik: A few weeks ago, I gave a presentation to a number of companies about the future of endpoint security. During this presentation, I had the opportunity to ask these folks a number of questions about their IT infrastructure and their plans for it.
There were only about 20 organizations represented, so this was far from a statistically significant research project. Nevertheless, there were some interesting trends.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10071297-83.html?tag=mncol;title
Urs
A good place for senior executives to start in trying to understand their companies' financial exposure to cyberthreats is by getting an overall assessment — not just from IT, but also from business units and corporate operations such as the human resources, legal and public relations departments.
The 40-page guide was put together by a task force of risk management executives from more than two-dozen organizations, including Carnegie Mellon University, IBM, insurers American International Group (AIG) and State Farm Insurance, defense contractor Lockheed Martin and consulting firms Booz Allen Hamilton and KPMG.
Urs
Chinese Internet users have expressed fury at Microsoft's launch of an anti-piracy tool targeting Chinese computer users to ensure they buy genuine software.
In a related story…
An angry Chinese lawyer accused Microsoft of perpetrating the biggest ever hacker attack in response to the software giant's controversial move to trigger hourly screen blackouts on computers using pirated copies of Windows XP.
But, along with pirated software: And now the Manchurian microchip
The geniuses at Homeland Security . . . would be remiss not to make you aware of the hottest topic in U.S. counterintelligence circles: rogue microchips. This threat emanates from China (PRC) -- and it is hugely significant.
The myth: Chinese intelligence services have concealed a microchip in every computer everywhere, programmed to "call home" if and when activated.
The reality: It may actually be true. ;-)
http://www.china.org.cn/china/national/2008-10/21/content_16646396.htm
Urs
PCMAG.COM: "I've long been a big fan of USB flash drives for carrying around the data that I need on multiple computers. They are an easy way to backup your data, and move files between computers. I even carry around some of the programs I use all the time on one of these drives, including Firefox, Roboform, and even Lotus Notes. But all that data carries a security risk: what if you were to lose that drive? For me, the answer is a secure flash drive."
An in-depth review of seven secure USB drives can be found here:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=Storage+Security&articleId=9062527&taxonomyId=153&pageNumber=1
Urs